Very robust chassis are required for commercial and special vehicles which have to carry considerable weight, such as e.g. weapon transporters, mobile radar stations, mobile satellite control stations and mobile cranes. If use is made of units having considerable overall height, there is a risk of inadequate vehicle stability if the center of gravity thereof is too high above the road or terrain. Therefore there is a need for using very flat chassis, which are also able, by means of special suspensions, to be mounted at a low level. In addition, such vehicles are exposed to high loads and stresses, specially when used in uneven terrain and therefore require a stable and extremely robust chassis construction. Particularly high loads occur if ground unevenness with small spring deflection can only partly be compensated. In order to increase maneuverability, such vehicles also require a maximum obliquity of the wheels.
Conventional chassis constructions normally use two supporting main spars or a central tube as carrying elements. A loading bridge made from wood, steel or aluminum is built on to those elements, normally by means of cross-beams fitted thereto. Therefore such a chassis has considerable overall height and, in addition, the connection of the chassis to the axles, which carry the structure, conventionally takes place by means of flat springs or flat spring sets which are responsible for axle guidance and suspension.
An important disadvantage of this type of construction is that the assembled elements result in a high superstructure which consequently has limited travelling stability. The loading surface is too high, so that it is not possible to install thereon units, such as e.g. radar stations, weapon transporters, mobile cranes, etc. With the conventional construction, it is also impossible to integrate vertical adjustment, slope adjustment or horizontal levelling. It is also disadvantageous that the construction with two spars offers limited resistance to torsional stresses due to that construction and is only able to hold heavier loads in an inadequately stable manner. Said construction also only permits very limited steering angles of approximately 15.degree. to 20.degree..
An object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose chassis which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages even under high loads and stresses and, when used in open terrain, has high stability, particularly against torsion or twisting and, while avoiding laminated or leaf springs and even when using large wheels, permits considerable obliquity thereof and a very low-lying loading surface. It can be used together with space-saving telescopic axle suspensions and therefore, apart from the aforementioned adjustment possibilities, also permits the mounting of heavier units.